Hand-truck.



' P. STEBLER.

Patented Apr. 25, 191

` SATES ,aan

FRED STEBLER, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

HAND-TRUCK.

Application filed April 16, 1906. Serial Ill'o. 311,918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED STEBLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hand-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to hand trucks which are provided with means for clamping or holding boxes thereon and for taking up the boxes from the tloor or depositing them on-the floor, and the main object of the invention is to provide means for this purpose which will be simple and effective devices which willbe automatically held in closed or gripping position.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the truck in raised and loaded position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of thelower part of the truck, showing the box-holding device in disengaged position. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line w4- in Fig. 3.

The truck frame may consist of the usual longitudinal bars 1,I provided with handles 1, cross bars 2, axle 3, journaled in bearings 4 on the longitudinal bars, and carrying truck wheels 5, and legs 6, onto which the truck is turned down when in lowered p0sition. At the lower or forward end of the truck are mounted two sliding clamps formed A#with slides 7 to slide laterally f through guides forme between iron stri s 8, 9, secured to the longitudinal bars of t e truck frame, each clampbeing formed with an arm 10 .extending forwardly fromthe truck and provided at its end with an inturned iiange or spur 11 adapted to en age under a box, or between a box and oor. Two levers 12 are pivoted to the iron cross bar 21 of the truck frame at- 12, the lower ends of said levers being loosely pivoted to the slides 7 so as to vpermit the latter to move in a straight line when the levers are swung las to guide the said lever.

in either direction upon their pivots. The upper ends of the levers are pivoted to toggle links 13 which lare pivotallyconnected at their knuckle or joint 13 to the vertically extending slide bar 14, working and guided between pins 15 projecting from the cross bars 21, 22 of the truck frame, so that verti-v cal movement of said slide bar will cause movement of the links to draw the upper ends of the levers inward, or to push them outward, as will be hereinafter set forth. Such movement of the slide bar is effected by a foot lever 15, pivoted to the upper end of a link 17, and the lower end of said link being pivoted to the lower cross-bar 21 of the truck frame, said lever lhaving a treadle portion 18 at its outer end beyond the side of the truck frame and a treadle portion 19 at its inner end, both of these treadle portions extending rearwardly, so as to be in convenient position for the application -ot' the operators foot. Near its outer end the operating lever 15 passes between the metal strip 9 on the truck frame and the adjacent side bar 1 of the frame, so The levers 12 are-preferably made double and extend on both sides of cross bars 21, 22, 23. The levers 12 are thereby guided in such manner as to brace the sliding clamps in their gripping action. The bar 23 'is at the extreme forward end of the truck, and is provided with two spurs 24 that prevent lateral dis placement of the truckv by engaging in the floor when the truck is tipped forward. To enable adjustment of the levers 12, the cross bar 21 has a plurality of perforations 20 to receive the pivot-bolt 12 for each lever, so that the throw or`position of the clamp slides can be adjusted or varied to fit the diiierent sizes of boxes.

In operation, when the truck is to be used in lifting and transporting boxes, the parts will be brought into position shown in Fig. 3, by pressin the foot on the treadle 18 at the outer en of the foot lever 15, thereby lifting the slide-bar 14, drawing the inner ends of links 13 upwardly and causing their ends to swing or pull together, drawing inward the upper ends of levers 12 andcorrespondingly throwing outward thevlower ends of said levers and the clamps connected thereto. On then bringing the truck to position alongside of the boxes, as shown in Fig. 2, and pressing the oot on the treadle 19 at the inner end of the toot lever 15, the

slide-bar 14 is depressed to position shown in Fig. 1, straightening out the toggle formed by the links 13, separating the upper ends of the levers 12 and causing the lower ends 5 thereof to draw together and to pull the sliding clamps inwardly so that the spurs 11 are ushed in under the box which rests on the iloor in front of the truck. The said spurs are sharpened or made suiiiciently thin so that they will readily enter beneath the bottom of the box in this operation. lVhenthe clam devices are thus drawn in, their arms 10 will rest against the sides of the said box Aand hold the same firmly from lateral dis- 15 placement, the weight of the box, however, being taken substantially by the spurs 11. It will be noted that in this operation there is no pressing or squeezing of the clamp devices into the side of the box and therefore no mutilation of the box walls; the box, or as would generallybe the'case, a series or stack of boxes, being supported by the spurs extending beneath the lower box. The operating toggle members 13 being substantially on dead center when the clamps are in closed or operated position, it follows that any lateral strain on the clamps cannot result in movement'of thev operating devices and the p-arts are thereby held from accidental displacement. It is, in fact, preferred to so construct the operating devices that when the parts are in this operative position the said toggle links will be somewhat below or past the dead center osition and any strain thereon would there ore serve to more'effectually lock them in place.

What I claim is 1. In combination with a hand truck, clamp devices mounted to slide laterally thereon at the forward end thereof and prolvided with spurs to extend under the box, levers pivotally connected to the aforesaid slides and pivoted on the truck, 'toggle links pivoted to said levers, a slide pivoted to the joint of said toggle links, and an operating lever connected to said slide, said slide and' toggle links being movable to carry the toggle beyond the dead center to lock the clamp devices when in closed position.

2. In combination with a hand truck, clamp devices mounted to slide laterally thereon at the forward end thereof and provided with spurs to extend under the box, levers pivotally connected to the aforesaid clamps and pivoted on the truck, toggle links pivoted to said levers, a slide pivoted to the joint of said toggle links, a foot lever connected to said slide, and a laterally moving link on this said lever pivotally supported G0 on the truck frame.

vices at one end, two toggles connected with v said levers at the other end, a longitudinally movable member connected with said toggles, a link, and a lever pivotally mounted on said link and connected with said member at one end, each end of said lever being adapted to be actuated for operating the clamping devices. j

5. In\ combination with a hand truck,

clamping means mounted to move thereon rectilinearly and transversely to the truck, and operating means for the clamping means, said operating means comprising a toggle moving to the locking position when the clamping devices are in closed position.

6. The combination, with a h-and truck provided with (cross pieces one of which is at the bottom, of rlevers pivotally secured to another of said cross pieces and extending above another cross piece at the upper end and over the bottom cross. piece at the lower end, each lever oomprislng two members which ajre located upon opposite sides of said cross pieces, said members being secured together `at their upper ends above the upper cross piece and at a point above the bottom cross piece at'their lower ends, a longitudi-f nally movable clampin member pivotally secured at its inneren `between the lower ends of each lever, alink ivotall secured between the upper ends of) each ever, the adjacent ends of which are joined together and adapted to engage with the upper cross piece and lock the clamping membersagainst outward movement, a lon ltudinally movable menifber connected with the adjacent ends of said lik's'tomove them toward and from said upper cross piece to actuate the clamping devices, and means for actuating the member connected with said links.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Riverside California' this 6th day of April 1906.

FRED sTEBLER.

In presence of- R. L. RICHEY, F. E. DENSMORE. 

